Council of the White Queen
by elphabatyler89
Summary: Alice is taken back to Wonderland for a meeting with the White Queen and her Council. But why? What, and who, awaits her there? And what has changed in the fantasy land of her childhood? This is my first fanfic so be kind :)
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

I used to think that everyone was right. That I was just a child with an over active imagination, that Wonderland was just a land invented to help the dull days go by. I never would've imagined that one day I would actually be back. And I certainly never thought that what happened would happen, first how I got back, what I found, and of course him. I never expected him, well maybe him being there but like he was then not how he is now. The strangest part of being back is seeing how things have changed but also stayed the same.

I wish I could say that I was able to handle being there again but, well I didn't. How could I? I had suddenly been thrown back (more like fallen into) the world of my childhood fantasy. Of course I immediately though I had finally and completely lost my mind, had a break with a reality anything but the fact that I was back. Plus contrary to belief when you go to another world it can be rather disorienting. You can momentarily forget exactly how you got there and it can take you a moment to recognize where you are. But once it hits you it really hits you, like a punch in the gut. But I had returned, returned to Wonderland.

Chapter 1

"Alice! Alice hurry up! We cannot be late!" Groaning inwardly I did my best to reply in a voice as chipper as I could muster "Coming mother! Just doing last minute touches!" I knew that reply would make her happy. She would think that I was actually starting to care about the things she considered  
"appropriate" for a girl of 21 but in reality I had been ready for 15 minutes and had only been stalling to avoid this dreaded event. I'll admit it is horrible dreading seeing one's own family but family is, how shall I explain it? In every family there is that one person who is somewhat odd, maybe by being eccentric or by being overly dramatic… My family is made up of all three of these personalities. Eccentric, overly dramatic and completely maddening. I finally managed to drag myself off my bed and actually make sure my dress and hair so that way what I told her wasn't a complete lie.

I get downstairs, mother waiting at the bottom as always to be sure that she can give a complete once over and make sure she approves of my appearance. Giving a slight nod at my hair clothes she gives me a slightly annoyed look at my, obviously, peeved expression.

"Alice dear could you please at least try to look as if you are going to nice family outing and not an execution?"

"I could try mother but I doubt I could do much better"

*sigh* "Well at least try to look relatively pleasant, please? I know it can be hard for you"

That got a smile out of me, mother always could help me to bear these things, she knew how hard there were for me but she could always help me to manage.

We went outside and got in the carriage and off we were to the Spring Gathering. At the start of every new season the family would get together for a small party and I'll admit they were always very nice with delicious food and wonderful music. I would enjoy it more if I liked the majority of the people there but one cannot win every battle.

"Dear?"

Mother's voice, and tone, jarred me from my thoughts. I had been trying to think of new ways that I could avoid those I truly disliked without appearing overly rude.

"Dear really it will only be for a couple hours surely you could manage that?"

"I could mother if not for the people who will be there"

"Alice! They are your family! How could say something like that?"

"Just because they are related to me by blood does not mean they are family. The fact that they drive me mad beyond reason does but other than that… I am sorry mother but I simply cannot stand what they have done, to you, to father. They are rude selfish self centered twits and I only accompany you to these events because unlike them I care about you and your feelings"

She looked at me with eyes that were sad, because what I said was true and somewhat proud at the same time.

"Alice that may be true but we cannot simply avoid or ignore them. Trust me it would only create more problems than what it's worth. And it's just not appropriate behavior."

"Since when have I cared what was appropriate? I'm sure it is also not appropriate to treat those who have done more for you than any other human being alive like dirt."

"Nevertheless we must put on a pleasant face and do our best to act better than them. You don't want to sink to their level do you?"

I let out a sigh and finally gave in to her argument. "You're right and I'll do my best but if someone starts something I cannot promise that I won't finish it"

She let out a small chuckle and with a gleam in her eye said "Well if you didn't I would think that your father and I had made a serious error somewhere in raising you."

Returning her smile I turned back to the carriage window looking at the trees and bushes lining the road. If it had been fall the streak of red I saw flash through the leaves several times wouldn't have even caught my eye. But every so often I saw a red streak flying along behind the bushes, seeming almost as if it was trying to keep up with us. I shook my head slightly thinking that the stress of this day was merely getting to me. A sudden lurch in the carriage let me know that we had all too soon arrived at our destination. Our coach driver assisted mother in getting out first and I followed after her and was soon standing next to her as our carriage went off to find somewhere shady to wait for us.

"Well Alice here we are, do try your best to bear it as well as you can. Who knows? Today might be different."

I gave her a sardonic grin and replied "Yes who knows? They might decide to act like civil adults this time. It might be different."

Funny I had had that same thought all those years ago when my sister and I had gone outside for her to help me with my lessons… I had no idea how different that day would be and I had less of an idea of how different this one would be.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

We returned to the party and I coolly avoided my cousins and headed to the garden area. So far all the "incidents" had occurred in a wooded or garden type area so I figured that the best place to start would be there. I was wandering around when I heard a rustling behind me. I turned around quickly and as quietly as I could I slowly walked toward it. I was just about to turn around the corner when…

"BOO!"

"AH!"

My heart leapt to my throat and then immediately dropped to my stomach and started going at a pace like a speeding rabbit. My initial reaction was that of terror then immediately become pure disgust when I saw the origin of my fright was.

"Percival! You immature child you nearly frightened me to death! What if I had been one of the older people here? You could have given some a heart attack!"

"Oh lighten up Alice! It was just a harmless little prank. I saw you wander off here and decided to see what you found so interesting about an old garden."

"I'm sure that's exactly what you thought"

"So, what are you doing here? Looking for your rabbit hole again, eh?"

Percival was quite possibly the absoluter bane of my existence. One of my older cousins who acted worse than the youngest of the family and all the while thought he was the king of the realm. When I had my incident as a child and went around telling people I fell down a rabbit hole Percival was the first to take up teasing me and hadn't let go of it since. Still treating me as though I were that simple child and not a grown woman who, even then as just a child, acted better than he. He wasn't even creative, asking the same question over and over, "Found your rabbit hole Alice?" "When are you going to take me to Wonderland Alice?" I wish I could have taken him somewhere, but Wonderland.

"Percival when your mother hears about you acting like this again you will be in serious trouble"

"Bah! Like I'm afraid of that woman! I'm a grown man and can do as I please."

He said this with a very self assured smile and all the while I was giving him a look that could wither the entire garden we were standing it.

"O yes Percival, I'm sure you're a grown man. I assume that's why you still live at home with mummy who happens to be standing right over there."

Percival whipped his head around with a look absoluter dread in his eyes until he saw no one was there.

"That wasn't funny Alice."

"Really? I found quite amusing and quite telling. O yes you are a grown man, who still lives at home on an allowance and still absolutely terrified of your mother no matter how hard you try to hide it behind that chauvinistic façade you insist on displaying."

With that said and feeling much better for having said it, I promptly spun around and started walking over to the opposite end of the garden. I was half way to the other side of the garden walking along the tall bushes when I heard something on the opposite side. There was a rustling sound and then a sort of muttering sound. I immediately stopped walking and prepared myself to burst through the other side and finally get Percival back for all the times he had gotten me. I ever so slightly parted two of the bushes just to give myself room to go through and jumped through. I was just about to scream "AHA!" when I saw it, or I should say him. The rabbit, the white rabbit… The white Rabbit holding a golden pocket watch, wearing a red jacket. I stood mouth hanging open and I'm sure my eyes were as round as teacup saucers.

"Alice! O Alice I am sorry I didn't want to meet up with you this way and I certainly didn't mean to frighten you but I've been looking for you and I wasn't sure if you were you. That is to say I wasn't sure if you were our Alice. I mean-"

"This cannot be happening. This is not happening. I am not going mad"

"Well of course you're not going mad. You've been mad entire life!"

"I beg your pardon!"

"Well how else do you think you got to Wonderland in the first place? O don't look like that, just because you must be mad to get there doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You simply must be mad to see it."

"Well then what does it mean to be seeing you here? Why are you here?"

"To bring you back of course"

"What?! Why?"

"Simply put, we need you Alice. I need you, the Hatter needs you, and we all need you."

"The Mad Hatter? He needs me?"

That thought gave me an odd feeling, a fluttering in my stomach, a quickening of my heart. And a reminder of what he was like, mad, loud, inconsiderate and…and a complete puzzle.

"The crazed fool may not be willing to admit that he needs anyone but I've known him a long time. And right now he needs you more than tea."

Coming from the white rabbit and making that kind of comparison was saying something.

"But why? What's going on? Why would that mad fool need anything other than his precious tea and those ridiculous tea parties?"

"I think that it would best be explained by the White Queen and her council in Wonderland."

I stopped dead in my tracks, feeling that it was actually starting sink in.

"I'm going back"

"What? Yes of course you are why else… Oh I see. Didn't ever think you would be coming back?"

"I, I stopped believing. I was convinced that I had simply imagined it all, that it was just a crazed dream by a sad little girl."

"Well you were wrong and we mustn't waste anymore time. Come along Alice. Off to Wonderland."

I smiled and felt like he had just told me that I was going home, really home.

"But wait, how are we going to get back?"

"How else? The old fashioned way"

With that we stopped walking and I looked down. I saw a huge rabbit hole just like the first one.

"You must joking!"

"We've no time for jokes only for jumping! Hurry up we are very late"

With that he gave a wink and hopped in.

I stepped forward to jump, stopped, turned around and looked back. I could just make out faint strains of music from the party and could see some of the poles holding up streamers. I thought for a split second that I could truly be going mad. But then I realized, I didn't care; anything was better than that. I turned back and jumped.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

This fall was much more different from the first time. No floating objects around and when I landed it was much nicer, no bruising this time. As soon as I landed I looked around, no table, just a single door, with the rabbit waiting by it.

"Well? Don't just stand there, come one."

"But, the table and doors and nothing floating"

Right brilliant response, I really did sound like a babbling mad woman.

"What? Oh yes, well no time for theatrics this time 'round. Must be going!"

"Right, ok…"

"Now then are you ready?"

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for whatever lay beyond that door.

"Alright now or never."

He opened the door and it didn't even take a second for a tear to spring to my eye. Everything was there, everything I remembered exactly as it was. The size of it was disconcerting, I couldn't decide if it was bigger than I remembered or smaller or the same. Not surprising thought considering I spent every 5 minutes changing size from as big as a house to as small as a mouse then back to my original size. But regardless of that, it was just as I left it. It was the final proof the last part of my mind rational mind needed to finally believe what had happened and where I was.

"Alice? Are you alright?"

I quickly wiped the tear away, trying to compose myself and not turn into blathering fool.

"Yes, yes I'm fine. It's just so to take in all at once and it's really started to sink in and…"

"Of course it is dear, and any other time I would be more than willing to let you take your time but unfortunately we do not have that kind of time."

"Yes of course, we must be going. I've handled years of my family and what they've caused, I can handle this."

"Ah, there's out Alice, the fighter! Just what we need! Now off we go!"

And off we were, for the first few minutes we didn't speak. I said nothing and he offered nothing. I think he realized that I needed this time to just look around and see everything, take it in and savor it. Savor every moment of this beautiful homecoming as if it water to a person dying of thirst. The color of everything around me seemed to be so much brighter than anything I had ever seen before. Maybe it was because I was so happy to be back, maybe it was because this place was so much better than what I had left behind, either way I didn't care. I was back and I had never seen anything so beautiful. I contemplated all the possible different reasons that could have brought me back and each seemed as ridiculous as the next. My mind also drifted off to what the White Rabbit could have meant when he said that the Hatter needed me. He had by far been the maddest character I had met in Wonderland and had stuck with me throughout the years.

"Alice? Are you still here?"

"What? O yes, sorry. I was just lost in my thoughts and trying take everything in. Nothing has changed, it's still as beautiful as when I left. Maybe even more so, it seems somewhat different thought but I can't put my finger on it."

"Ah yes well I believe I should explain that. You see this world just like yours changes over time, stays generally the same but as you grew so did we. When you were here as a child it looked like the world of a child, like a child's fantasy world. But since you are now a young lady, with the heart of a child, it seems more like a more mature fantasy world. If that makes any sense."

"Strangely enough it does" I laughed. "So you mean to say that like me, even though I am the same person I am more developed and more complex so is Wonderland."

"Exactly! I knew you would understand. Old fool doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Old fool?"

"Um, nothing, just that mad old hatter was spouting off nonsense. I'm sure you can remember what he was like."

I narrowed my eyes at him trying to read his little rabbit face, harder than it sounds. He tried his best to look innocent and like it was nothing, but I knew better. One thing I remember very clearly about this place was that nothing was as it seemed or sounded. Right then and there I stopped in my tracks.

"Alright rabbit before we take one more step you are going to explain to me what is going on. I have been asked to come here to help with whatever is going and I have yet to be given any clue. I am going to meet the White Queen and her Council and I have no idea why I am going or what I'll be saying or even what to expect! Now you tell me what is going on right now or I will walk right back from where we came."

"Very well, I was hoping you could wait till we arrived as the White Queen will be able to explain it better and in more detail but unfortunately I know you mean what you say so if you will please continue walk with me I will explain things as best as I can."

"Alright, but at least give me a general idea so that I know what I'm walking into."

He drew a deep breath and seemed to be preparing himself just as much as I was.

"When you arrived here the first time as a child you arrived at what was the start of a period of instability in our land. The cause was the Queen of Hearts. She had begun to go mad, as I'm sure you noticed. What you saw of her was the beginning of her slow decline into madness, a different kind of madness than what everyone else here has. Hers was a violent madness, brought on by no one knows what."

"You said a different kind of madness?"

"Yes, all of us here are indeed mad, including you. However it is a harmless madness, the Hatter for instance. He is most likely the maddest character her but ultimately he is harmless with his tea parties and insane ramblings. He would never hurt anyone, let alone cut off their head. Anyways back to explaining, ever since you left she has gone down faster than anyone could have ever imagined and we need to figure out a way to well, for lack of a better phrase, get rid of her."

"Wait, you mean you want me to help you figure out how to kill her?!"

"No! Of course not! We would never kill her, after all she is the White Queen's Sister but we could take her off the throne and put her somewhere safe."

"There's something else you're not telling me."

"I believe that is something best left for the White Queen to explain which is perfect timing because we have arrived!"

I hadn't even noticed that we were coming up on the castle I was so intent on listening to the White Rabbit explain, but now that I saw it I couldn't believe I had missed it. Beauty was no where near an apt description. Everything seemed to have been carved from the purest white marble, it sparkled like fresh snow. The rooftops seemed covered with diamonds, and waiting at the top of the steps in the most beautiful white gown was the White Queen herself. She was resplendent in what seemed to be a white satin gown that fell to the floor it had no decorations or beading but it suited her perfectly making her glow like an angel. Her hair fell in deep waves down to her waist with a small silver crown atop her head. She was beauty and elegance embodied. When she saw us she smiled and it brought tears to my eyes, because she reminded me so much of my mother before all the trouble started.

However this beautiful moment was quickly interrupted by a scream and mass of white hair underneath an atrociously bright green hat and encompasses by a jacket orange enough to make a pumpkin jealous. He burst through the doors and looked like every bit of the mad man he had made a reputation to be. I couldn't make out what he was saying to the White Queen but he was obviously quite upset and she was trying to keep him calm. She seemed to tell him to go inside because he turned around suddenly and went back through the door. She turned and came down the stairs. When she reached us she smiled and reached out her arms to us.

"Alice, welcome back. We have been eagerly awaiting you. Please come in."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Growing up in England and my father being the businessman he was led to many trips to London. And whenever we got to go with him one of my favorite things to do was to have the carriage drive by Buckingham Palace. It was so grand looking and I had always wanted to go inside and see it although I had never gotten the chance. Even though I had never gone in I knew that from seeing the White Queen's Palace that it would rival anything back home. Everything sparkled, looking clean and fresh. The walls and pillars looked to be cut from the purest and strongest marble, the chandeliers seemed to be cut entirely from a single solid diamond, and the various chairs and furniture around looked as if they had climbed to the sky and brought down clouds and sculpted the furniture from them. I was beyond amazed; everything here seemed to not be real.

I heard a small chuckle next to me and quickly turned my head to discover its origin. I was surprised to discover it came from the White Queen herself. She had a small smile on her face and was looking at me with a gleam in her eye like she had a secret.

"O I'm sorry I didn't mean to gawk it's just, well, I've never seen anything like this. Not even remotely close."

"I don't doubt it and don't worry, you didn't offend me. I love watching the way people react when they first come to my home; it makes me very glad to see people appreciate it."

Home? She refers to this as a home? My home would fit into this place a dozen times and then some.

"It is magnificent. And even that doesn't seem an apt description."

"Thank you, you are very kind. I assume that you managed to wrangle some answers out your escort for why we have brought you here?"

"For the most part although he wouldn't tell me certain specific details, said that you would be better able to explain them?"  
"Ah yes, very good of him. Although I think it would be best to give the main reason at the council but first I am sure you are tired and would to freshen up and so one of my assistants will escort you to a room so that you can prepare for the meeting. I believe you shall need it."

I was about to thank her for her consideration, but at just that moment we turned a corner and I ran right into something that put me right on the floor. After recovering from the initial shock of being planted on my derriere I looked up to see who put me there and to apologize for running into them and then I saw who it was.

"YOU!" we both shouted at each other at the same time. I looked up to see crazed eyes looking down at me half mad crazy, half mad angry and there was something else there in his eyes, I couldn't quite identify but whatever it was made me forget the past years and why I was still on the floor.

"Well are you going to just sit there on your backside or would you like to go to your room?"

"Well are you going to just stand there like a dolt or would you like to help me up?"

"Have you lost the ability to help yourself since you left us?"

"I never left! I was run out! I had the Queen of Hearts chasing after me, the white rabbit, you! I didn't have much of a choice; I preferred to keep my head."

"If we could save this for later" The White Queen interrupted mine and the Hatter's little discussion, "I believe Alice would like to see her room and freshen up and then you can join us in the council room. Alice I must ask you to please make haste as we must get this under way as soon as possible. Theophilus William, if you would please wait for Alice outside her room so that you may escort her to the council room. We don't want her getting lost in this place." She gave him a very stern look and with a small huff of defeat he reached down to help me up. Up close I could see how much he had changed, he was much taller than the last time and I could feel strength in his hands as he pulled me up and close to him still holding my hand. I suddenly remembered what the White Rabbit said about things changing as I had changed but still stayed similar, but even with the similarities some of the changes were a bit harder to get over.

"Well, shall we go Alice?"

"We shall."

He abruptly turned and started walking down a hall leaving a slightly shocked me standing there exchanging momentary glance with the White Queen before she gave me a small smile and walked off the opposite way. I hurried down the hall after the Hatter. I just managed to catch up with him before he rounded a corner which was lucky because if I hadn't caught him I almost surely would've ended up lost.

"You know you could slow down a bit for me, you're much taller than the last time and your legs are longer so it is much harder for me to keep up."

"Well perhaps we could get you some of that mushroom and then maybe you could keep up."

"No thank you! I had enough of changing size the last time and it was not enjoyable."

"Well I am surprised you're having a hard time keeping up, the last time you were here seemed you had no trouble running."

I stopped dead in my tracks, looking like he had slapped me I'm sure, and grabbed him by the arm and managed to spin him around to face me despite him being taller and well much more muscled than I was.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It is supposed to mean exactly what I said! The last time you were here you ran off and left everyone here! No goodbyes, no talks of why. You left! Left the March Hare, Cheshire. You… you left me, without a word, just ran off."

"Well I didn't exactly have a choice! I was running for my life! Running for my head! The Queen of Hearts and half her court was chasing after me, I wasn't thinking particularly of goodbyes, I wasn't entirely sure if I would've even had a chance to say nay goodbye. Beside the last time I was here we didn't really get the chance to get to know each other. The entire time I was here you did nothing but talk of tea and move down! And silly rhymes and riddles."

"You could have run to me! I wish you would have! I would have kept you safe. From the moment you entered that tea party I knew there was something different about you, I knew you weren't from our land but I also knew that wherever you originally came from wasn't the place for you either. I didn't know what to do; I was scared of what might happen to you, of losing you. But one moment you were there. The next you were gone and I felt like I had lost something that I never even had the chance to have."

Obviously I was shocked, pleasantly yes, but still shocked. After the day I had already had I didn't think I could be shocked anymore but he was the Hatter, he could shock anyone, anytime, no matter what. For a moment I just stared at him not sure what to say.

"So why didn't you just say something? Something that made sense?"

He smiled down at me and with a sparkle in his eye looked at me and said

"Don't you remember? I'm mad. I rarely do anything that makes sense to anyone but myself."

I smiled back up at him, still not quite over how much taller he seemed and how much more, well handsome, he seemed. I knew he wasn't the same mad hatter I had left the last time. And I wouldn't leave him again, not by choice and not without knowing him at the very least.

"Well it seems that this all started by not even knowing each other or being properly introduced in the first place. I think we should fix that don't you?"

"I would like nothing better Ms. Alice."

He took my hand and planted a light kiss on it as I managed the best curtsy I could.

"Hello, my name is Theophilus William, otherwise known at the Mad Hatter. I am most please to meet you and to have the honor of escorting you."

"Hello Theophilus, My name is Alice Kingston and you can simply call me Alice. I am most delighted to meet you and that you have taken the time to be my escort."

"The delight is mine Alice, and as we have arrived to your suite where you may freshen up though may I say you do not need it."

"You are very kind Theophilus. However I do wish to look my best for what awaits me."

As I said that he got a very strange look in his eye as if he did not like the idea of me going to what awaited me. Although I was happy to have finally talked to him, I was also happy to find out what was going on but the way he reacted made me wary. I decided to get ready as quickly as possible so that we could get going and maybe I could get him to tell me some more.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I entered my room and felt as though I could have been knocked over with a pin. It was as if someone had figured out exactly how to decorate this room for me. It was absolutely perfect, simple but elegant without feeling crowded by everything. A large bed, perfect for me as I tended to take up an entire bed, a large wardrobe, a sitting area in front of a large fireplace, a vanity, everything I ever wanted in a room. All the furniture was carved from a dark wood, the colors were warm and soothing and I knew that this was one place I would never have trouble sleeping in. I walked to the wardrobe and opened it up and found it to be full of clothes, all my size and all perfect for me as if a dressmaker had made the wardrobe of my dreams. Beautiful colors and absolutely wonderful fabrics, it was any girls dream.

Unfortunately I would have to wait until later to indulge as I was eager to find out what all this was about and did not want to keep everyone waiting. I glanced at myself in the mirror and saw that my face was smudged, my dress looked somewhat worn out, and my hair was completely disheveled. Kicking myself into high gear, I walked over to the vanity, which was supplied with enough cosmetics and beauty products to start a small store, and got to work. I found some cold cream which I used to clean my face, I began to take my hair down (thankfully) and just let the curls fall down my shoulders. I found a comb and managed to somewhat tame it. After searching through the drawers I managed to find a beautiful blue ribbon and decided to use it to keep my hair out of my face. I had always had long hair and loved it but sometimes it could be a bit of a pain.

Next I walked over to the wardrobe and started rummaging through the dresses and shoes. As I was rummaging I noticed how strangely calm I felt. I should be shaking and my nerves should have been right on the edge but all I felt was calm, a bit excited yes, but as if I was doing exactly what I knew I should be. The only thing that was getting to me was what the council would say. I knew there was something more to me coming here but I would only be told once I got to the meeting which meant that it would be something pretty big.

I stood in front of the mirror to make sure I looked presentable and the image I saw took me back years to my childhood. I had found a blue dress that was the same shade of the dress I wore the first time here but it was a more mature version of the dress. It was a soft blue grey and came to the middle of my calf. It had lace around the waist and along the edge of bottom hem and neck line. I had found some black lace up boots that met the edge of my dress. Like the White Rabbit said, still the same but different too. I took a deep breath and went to the door prepared, or so I hoped, to take whatever it was they had for me. I opened the door to find the Hatter waiting directly across from the door leaning against the wall. As soon as I opened the door he looked up and he looked like he was having some kind of flashback and was about to fall over.

"Well that is certainly un expected."

"Do you like it? I thought it was appropriate."

"More than appropriate I think. Shall we?"

"Yes, the sooner we get there the sooner I can find out what is going on and why I am here."

As I said that I noticed that look on his face again. The one that was part anger part sadness part, something else, his madness bubbling to the top and threatening to boil over. And before we could take another step I grabbed him by the arm and made him face me.

"Every time I have mentioned this meeting or finding out why I am really here you get this look on your face that clearly means you are not happy about whatever the reason is, and I am not taking another step until you tell me why."

"I can't tell you why you're here, nothing more than what you already know, the rest is for the White Queen, and her alone, to tell you. But I will say I am not happy about it. Now we really shouldn't keep everyone waiting and I'm sure they, and you, are ready for a little reunion."

"Reunion? What do you mean?"

"The council. You don't think it would be made up of a bunch stuffy old nobles did you? That is not the Wonderland way. But this is one surprise I cannot wait for you to see."

I gave him a suspicious look but all he did was give me that crazy smile and with that I felt a little better, if he was happy about this surprise then I knew I would be happy. As we walked to the council room my entire thoughts centered on what the White Queen would be telling me. The White Rabbit had said something about taking care of the Queen of Hearts but from what he and the Mad Hatter had said, I knew it was big. Not necessarily bad but very, very big.

"Ah here we are. Now Alice are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

The door opened and when he said reunion I had no idea he meant this. There was a long strong wood table, with the White Queen at the head. And along both sides were the ones who had made my first trip to Wonderland so memorable. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum playing Button Button and finishing each others sentences, the White Rabbit (of course) was checking his pocket watch, The March Hare was trying to catch the Dormouse and put him back in his teapot, The Cheshire Cat was floating above his chair and going in and out of visibility and Absalom was smoking away on his pipe. As soon as the door had opened everyone had looked my away and the White Queen stood.

"Alice, Theophilus. Thanks you for joining us please come and sit. I am sure everyone would like to greet Alice back but I am afraid that will have to wait until after the meeting."

The Hatter and I walked to the front of the table and took the empty seats that were on either side of the White Queen. I suddenly felt very nervous as the White Queen stood and began to speak.

"As you all know I have gathered you here for two reasons. Reason one being that we must take care of the Red Queen. She has gone mad, violently mad, which is not tolerated here in Wonderland. However we will not resort to her methods and behead her. Instead we will merely remove her from her throne, as quietly and as discreetly as possible. Her subjects are as loyal to her as mine are to me. They will not take kindly to this, which is why we must figure out the best way possible to tell them and keep them from rioting."

Absalom was the first to speak up.

"I assume that your majesty has already thought of how to achieve this?"

"Of course she does!" Started Tweedle Dee

"Always does!" Finished Tweedle Dum

The Dormouse picked up a small shrimp fork and brandished it saying "Whatever you require your majesty it shall be done!" Unfortunately in brandishing the shrimp fork he was still just long enough for the March Hare to put him back in his teapot.

"AHA! Got you this time you rodent!"

It was then that a deep baritone voice came through the chatter of everyone at the table.

"I believe it would be in our best interest if we could all shut up and listen to what Her Majesty has to say."

I was a little surprised to see the voice was coming from the Hatter, sitting with his hands folded under his chin leaning back slightly in his chair. His tone caused everyone to stop talking and look like they had just had the worst scolding of their life. Their reaction cause a small smile to come to my face and as I looked across the table at him I was the only one to catch the small wink my way.

"Thank you Theophilus, and thank you everyone for your show of support and readiness to assist me. However to answer Absalom's question I do have a plan for to take care of how to handle getting her off the throne. I think for that we should keep it simple, I shall simply tell them that she has become ill and that for her own health we shall take her away. That will be the easy part however the next part will not be so simple."

At this everyone shuffled in their seats uncomfortably, all except the Hatter who was dead still and the White Queen who was still standing. I knew that whatever it was that had really brought me here was about to be discussed and apparently it made everyone quite uncomfortable. So I decided to break the silence first.

"Well I can see that this is what has really brought me here so I suggest that whatever it is you need to tell me you do it quickly, less awkward that way. Just treat it like a bandage, take it off quickly and get it over with."

"Yes well" The White Queen began, I wish I could but in order to tell you I must give you some history on how our land works. Ever since Wonderland was created there has always been a dual monarchy, a White and a Red queen. Normally they are two sisters who rule together but there have been times in the past where if there was just one girl another would be chosen to rule alongside with the other. There is a ceremony to join the two as sisters, we put a lot of stock in tradition and it has kept peace here for as long as anyone can remember."

"Oh, I see. You want my help in finding this other girl so that she can be the next Red Queen?"

"Well in a way, yes…" The White Queen said this while looking at me intently.

I looked across the table and the Hatter seemed as if he was barely able to contain himself. I felt a cold sensation take over my body as I began to realize what she was saying. I shot straight up knocking my chair over.

"Wait, no you can't be serious! I can't do this, this is so far beyond me!"

The Hatter looked at the Queen with fire blazing in his eyes.

"I told you this would not go over well your Majesty."

"I believe I remember what you told me Theophilus. Alice I know how this must sound but you must understand that for Wonderland to continue there must be two Queens. We need a new Red Queen… We need you."

"But I can't…"

She walked around the table to me and took both my hands in hers. She looked at me like a mother consoling her daughter.

"Alice I have never met anyone more qualified or more able to do this. You can do this."

As I looked back at her I saw that she truly believed that I could and maybe that was what I really needed or maybe it was the fact that by going along with this I knew I could stay forever.

"Fine, I'll do it. I don't really feel like I have much of a choice anyways. I'll be your Red Queen."


End file.
